Adored
by unfoldingbliss
Summary: A challenge of some sorts for the Dragon Ball Kink Meme: Fed up with everyone receiving their happy endings, Bra decides to use the dragon balls to wish up a Saiyan worthy of her affection. However, the man that falls from the sky might be a bit more than she bargained for. [Raditz/Bra]
1. Chapter 1

For reference, the ages: Trunks is 29, Goten and Valese are 28, Marron is 24, Uub is 21, Bra is 19, and Pan is 17. I'm not certain what Raditz's age was canonically (almost sure that was never confirmed) but let's go with 30, mmkay?

"Thank you all so much for being here!" Goten's crisp voice filled up the Capsule Corp. reception hall, tipping his glass of champagne towards the crowd in front of him, "Really, it means the world to both Valese and I that so many of our friends could attend our wedding!"

"Hey, you can't toast at your own wedding!" Trunks snickered next to him, snatching the glass from Goten's hands as he stood up, "You need to leave _that_ to the best man and the maid of honor."

"Oh! Right," Goten tried to chuckle it off, but everyone in the audience soon noticed the pink hue rising from underneath his cheeks, "Got a little carried away."

"It's okay, babe," Valese consoled him as he sat down, rubbing his shoulders out, "I thought it was great!"

And as Trunks went on to deliver his speech, a young woman two seats down from the newlyweds clawed her nails into her biceps, grinding her teeth as Valese continued to coo over Goten, adorning his face with soft butterfly kisses, _Ugh. Gag me._

"Bra, you know it's rude to stare," another young woman swatted at her, furrowing her brows in disapproval, "I know you're not into the super mushy stuff, but could you control that Saiyan temper of yours for more than two minutes?"

"I'm not staring, Marron" Bra hissed back, "They're just being so obvious about it."

"What do you expect?" Marron asked, "They just got _married_! How else do you want them to act?"

Bra didn't reply, choosing to bite back the venomous words itching at her throat. Really, Marron was going to ask her _that_? She was the one who knew best.

When Valese's maid of honor finished her speech, Goten and Valese took to the floor, dancing to an old melody from Bra's grandfather's time. Of course, they both looked riveting; Goten in a proper black tux, hair trimmed and eyes bright; Valese in an ivory vintage gown patterned with lace roses, her face as gorgeous as the day Bra had properly met her. It ate her up how perfect it all was, how easily the two fit. It didn't matter that Valese wasn't of Saiyan blood or she had almost no interest in the martial arts. She was fun and loving and _oh-so-sweet_, traits that fit Goten's optimism and carefree attitude like a glove. What could Bra possibly offer, besides a pretty face and the world on a platter?

"You're staring again," Marron whispered, her voice much softer than it was before.

"We're supposed to be staring," Bra replied, tearing at the fine seams of her yellow bridesmaid gown, "That's what the dance is for."

"You don't have to put up with it, Bra," her friend reassured her, "You want to go up on the balcony with Pan and Uub? You can't see them from there."

"Like I need to see another couple going all goo-goo ga-ga," she sighed, a faint smile making its way onto her face. She didn't mind Pan and Uub's fledgling relationship; they were kind of cute, actually. Still, it was just another painful reminder of something she didn't have. Something she had wanted for a long, _long_ time.

Marron laughed a little, happy to see some of the lights in Bra's eyes return, "Oh, please. They're probably sparring more than anything. Pan doesn't have the whole 'date' thing down just yet."

"But I'm sure _you_ do, blondie," both women looked up to see Trunks hovering over Marron, his hand extended towards her, "And it would be in bad taste if the best man didn't show his girlfriend a good time on the dance floor, right?"

"Ugh, could you be any more of corndog?" Bra rolled her eyes good-naturedly, unsurprised how Marron drank it all in, a dark flush washing over her face.

"Well…" Marron hesitated, shooting a concerned look over to Bra. She was still unsure if she needed to vent, if she would be okay, "Bra is -"

"Going to see if I can convince Chi-Chi to bring out the cake early," Bra said, standing up and winking at the couple, "I'm really in the mood for some chocolate."

"Oh…um, okay," Marron nodded, taking Trunks' hands as he led them towards the floor, "Be careful, okay?"

"Sure, sure!" Bra replied, "Just go have some fun for me!"

She watched as the pair disappeared into the dancing crowd, no doubt making their way towards Valese and Goten. Despite Bra's disapproval of their relationship, Marron and Valese had become close friends over the last two years, shopping and taking monthly outings to the beach while Bra was still in school, studying new ways Capsule Corp could continue to be on top of everything technological. It had hurt then and still hurt a little now. There was nothing wrong with their friendship, just as there was nothing wrong with the love Goten and Valese shared. Hell, there was absolutely nothing wrong with Valese herself – she was charming, funny, _and_ kind.

And _older_; couldn't forget that. Just the thought sent her back to one of her first memories of Goten. Even then she had been absolutely infatuated, finding him all kinds of adorable, a level no human boy could ever soar above.

And even then, when she had announced at the dinner table they were destined to marry, he and her brother had laughed, insisting she was much too young for those kinds of dreams.

_Too young then and too late for a second glance now_, Bra thought, taking one more look towards the party before exiting out of the hall. It just wasn't fair, really. Marron had been able to obtain the affection of her childhood crush and Pan, a girl with almost all of her time invested in sparring and silly video games, was able to score someone as wonderful (and _freaking hot_) like Uub. Sure, Bra had her fair share of spring flings and summer love, but it all paled in comparison to what she could have had. Wasn't she a princess? Shouldn't someone like Goten just fall into her lap, no questions asked?

_If only Planet Vegeta was still around_, Bra sighed, her feet leading her out to the botanic gardens, _Maybe then I could find someone worth my time_.

Another sigh, a step later, and then…

"That's it!" Bra exclaimed, clapping her hands together as the genius idea crossed her mind. How had she never thought of it before? It was almost all too easy! Someone like Goten had to have lived on Planet Vegeta at one point or another – he _was_ part Saiyan after all. No doubt just as handsome, perhaps a little more suave and attentive…

Bra squealed at the very thought, jumping high into the air and staying afloat as a surge of adrenaline coursed through her veins. She could have a Saiyan, a _real _Saiyan! And if she couldn't have Goten, didn't she deserve the absolute best instead?

After she had finished with her giggling fit above the garden, Bra descended back onto the fresh grass and quickly made up a plan. Considering everyone, including her mother and father were still inside the reception hall, she could no doubt make an easy getaway within the next hour. The dragonball radar could always be found at her mother's bedside table, along with a capsule for both a well-applianced "tent" and a jet (not that she really needed the jet, but it would make her life easier if she was too tired to fly). Clothes would be a bit of issue – all of her winter apparel was stowed away in the closet on the third floor, and she assumed one or two of the balls would be somewhere in the north. But, as long as she kept quiet and kept her Ki at an all-time low, her father wouldn't pick up on her snooping around.

All of the preparation went smoothly, the last of her tasks involving a letter to her parents and Trunks, insisting that she was totally okay and in no need of any juvenile rescue.

_I have about two weeks until school starts up again_, Bra scribbled onto the dark red stationary, making sure it didn't look as rushed as she felt_, I would like to spend that time traveling alone, taking in the world like mom did when she was younger_. _I'm sure I'll be fine – I have all the food and clothes I need, plus dad's training! If I come into any trouble, I'll be sure to call_. _Tell Goten and Valese congrats! Love, Bra_.

As she folded up the letter and sat it onto her parents' bed, Bra faintly wondered if this wish could indeed give her what she wanted. She had her mother and father and brother's love. She had her friends' respect and admiration.

But more than anything, Bra wanted to be adored, both in body and soul. And more than ever before, she firmly believed only a Saiyan could give her that one desire.

-Obviously, no Raditz yet. Expect him in the next part.-


	2. Chapter 2

Obtaining the first six dragon balls was a piece of cake (which consequently reminded Bra of the triple chocolate decadence she had missed at the reception _dammit_). The first two had been near one another – the three-star ball off the coast of a deserted island and the six-star ball a few hundred feet below sea level a mile away. The seven-star ball was discovered in the dunes near Yamcha's domain – Bra had made sure to keep her Ki as low as possible in that instance. No need for her nosy godfather to alert her mother of her location. It was quite probable she and her father had already deduced her plans; she _had_ taken the dragon ball radar. Still, it wasn't like they would know what she wanted it for.

The one-star and two-stars were located in the arctic tundra, proving to be a bit more difficult to possess than the other three. The hikes up both mountain peaks was strenuous even with her advanced resilience to the cold, and she couldn't help but whine a little as her favorite coat tore on a jagged cliff. Finally, she found the five-star ball in the rain forests surrounded by a horde of wild apes. The chase out of the forest went surprisingly well, despite one lone scratch just beneath her eyebrow.

And so with six balls packed into her satchel, the illustrious four-star dragon ball was all that was left to acquire.

_Not like that's going to be easy_, Bra thought, knowing very well where the four-star ball was located. While it would have been smart to grab the four-star first, it would have made it painfully obvious to her parents and just about everyone else she knew that no, this wasn't some kind of soul-searching gig. That could very well be enough to piss off her mother and demand she come back home.

But none of those thoughts really mattered, at least not now. There was still a ball to be obtained and it was tucked safely on top of Gohan's desk on the west side of the library. Bra knew from first-hand experience that Friday nights were reserved for dining at Goku and Chi-Chi's house, meaning that the dragon ball was currently unguarded. The only thing she had to worry about was her Ki; both Gohan and Pan were pretty good at picking up even the slightest rise. Throw Goku and his instant transmission in the equation and Bra's misadventure could very well turn into one hell of a scolding from one of the many women in her life.

_Well, I only have another hour and next Friday is scheduling at the university so…._Bra's thoughts trailed, searching for any opening besides the chimney she could squeeze through. She could simply wash her clothes afterwards, but she wasn't too sure what to do with soot-covered clothes (and she just didn't want to be covered in soot, period).

But of course, no such luck. Every door and window was locked tight. Bra was almost surprised, considering how far out in the countryside they were. Then again, Videl was kind of on the cautious side.

"Ugh, I can't believe I'm going to do this," Bra groaned, pinching her nose as she descended down the chimney. Good thing she was lean and lithe like her mother – there was no way an amazon like Pan could slip through the narrow path unless she were to pummel through the brick itself.

_I guess that's another advantage I have over her_, Bra smirked as she crawled out of the fireplace, darting her eyes towards the library and Gohan's lavish, mahogany desk. Her smirk morphed into a smile when she caught sight of the ball, nestled onto the boyish red hat she had seen on the older half-Saiyan in photographs. She scurried up onto the balls of her feet and glided over to the desk, making sure that nothing else in the room was left out of the sync. No need for them to suspect a robbery. As soon as she placed the four-star ball into her satchel, Bra quickly jotted down a note from the same red stationary she had used for the letter addressed to her parents: how, within a year, she'd scrounge up the four-star ball for the Son family again, brought along with a handsome new car of their choice for Pan's 18th birthday.

Bra placed the letter on top of the desk, leaving with it enough yuans for an expensive night on the town. Money never seemed to buy any of the Sons', but it couldn't hurt to try. Besides, Bra was sure months had passed since Gohan and Videl's last proper date. Pan _was_ a teenager with an older boyfriend, after all.

By the time seven o'clock rolled around and Gohan, Videl, and Pan were saying their goodbyes, Bra was flying towards the other side of the continent, where only the likes of her brother or father could ever track her down. She may not be as strong or as fast as her other Saiyan counterparts, but she was by far the stealthiest of the seven; it would take years of constant contact to find her in a throng of low-level Ki.

It was around midnight when she decided to stop, hitting the soft sand with a loud poof. The desert was the perfect location to summon the dragon – few people around and any disturbances could be excused as a large sandstorm. Although, having only seen Shenron once before, Bra couldn't recall if he had a power level that could alert her family and friends.

"No risk, no reward," Bra said to herself, plopping each dragon ball from her satchel onto the sand until they formed a circle, "And this _is_ a pretty damn big reward."

Bra took a sharp breath, heart stammering as she shouted out the incantation she had learned from her mother, "Eternal dragon, by thy name I summon thee forth: Shenron!"

Slowly, the sand around her began to swirl around her, the seven balls beside her flashing a bright yellow. Another yellow light sky-rocketed from the circle, shooting sand into Bra's face and clothes. She wanted to close her eyes, to avoid the sting of the wind and storm surging, but she couldn't look away; her eyes went wide as the light took form, morphing into the very dragon that had revived her family and friends years before she was born. It was simply a marvel to uphold, something she was sure she could never tire of.

"Choose your words carefully mortal," a deep voice penetrated through the light, the yellow shifting into a scaly green, red eyes taking in the half-Saiyan before him, "I will grant you two wishes. Speak your first."

"Oh, that's right," Bra realized, the shock and awe of Shenron's appearance fading, "I get two wishes. Hmmm…well, I could always ask for some – wait; don't get ahead of yourself, Bra. But, you can never too much of – no, no, there's still the –"

"My patience thins, mortal," Shenron boomed, freezing Bra's tongue to the roof of her mouth, "What is your first wish?"

Bra sputtered, clearing out her throat before speaking again. It really didn't help that her heart was beating like a hummingbird's, her veins throbbing against her skin, "Right, my first wish. Well…I wish to revive a male Saiyan like Son Goten from Earth, and for him to be brought to this location…please."

Shenron's red eyes glowed as her words resounded around them, the sand kicking up once again, "Your wish…_will_ be granted."

Her heart skipped a beat at the confirmation, head buzzing with joyous anticipation. She was…she was getting her wish! Not a single problem arose from her venture – no crazy army or pirates or aliens or even some lowlife thief! Perhaps her mother and Goku were just a magnet for bad luck?

Her thoughts had little time to wander farther: a blinding beam of light flickered before her eyes, the form of a man taking shape at her feet. Bra held her breath as she watched the light engulf the man she had revived; his fingers and arms, legs and toes all becoming flesh and bone.

The last of him to appear was his face, heart-shaped with a well-defined jaw and cheekbones. His demeanor appeared surprisingly soft in sleep, his thick brows complimenting his almond-shaped eyes and long nose. His hair threw Bra a bit off-guard – it was longer than hers by far, traveling past his forearms and waist; nothing a haircut couldn't change, however. But _wow_, those were some really nice lips, even had a hint of pin –

"Oh my god, he's naked," Bra gasped as the white light surrounding the man dissipated, leaving him bare on the sand. Although she was tempted to dip her gaze past his broad chest and the tail wrapped around his taut waist, Bra opted to cover her eyes instead. Her titles of heiress and princess had to stand for something, anyway; she had _some _shame.

"Your first wish has been granted," Shenron stated, red eyes reverting back to their normal shade, "What is your second wish?"

"Uh…" Bra started, taking another quick glance at the man beneath her. Well, he _was_ naked and she sure as hell didn't have anything that would a fit someone in his size… "I wish for a complete, comfortable wardrobe for the man you just revived…inside a capsule!"

"Your wish…_will_ be granted," Shenron replied, eyes glowing once again. A small beam of light shot from its claws and into Bra's hands, a warm sensation traveling into her fingertips. Like the man beneath and the dragon above, the light took shape, transforming into the very capsule she had wished for. It was a solid blue, the number eight painted across its side.

"Oh, clever," Bra chuckled, "The eighth Saiyan and his little capsule….thank you very much, Shenron!"

"You are welcome," Shenron seemed to nod at her, his voice a tad more sincere, "I must go now."

And just like that, the dragon was immersed in the same light at it had been before, the dragon balls flashing yellow and white as they shot up into the air. As Shenron vanished, the dragon balls scattered from above her, traveling to every corner of the world. The light that had previously surrounded her vanished and the sand died down again, leaving her in the dark with the Saiyan man inches away.

A Saiyan man that was still very much naked.

_Forgot to ask for some clothes _on _him_..._good going Miss Briefs_, Bra berated herself, walking a bit closer to snag a better look at his face in the dark. The man was still asleep; Bra assumed his body was trying to recover from the sensation of being alive once more. It could very well be another day or so before he roused from his slumber. But that didn't matter, really. She had about another week before her parents expected her home. That would be more than enough time.

"But first thing's first," Bra said, clicking the capsule between her fingers and throwing it on the sand, "Time to play dress up."

One abrupt cloud of smoke later and Bra came face-to-face with an imitation of a walk-in closet, filled to the brim with all sorts of men's attire. Sports gear, casual wear, tuxedos and swimsuits…Shenron had been generous, it seemed. The dragon had thought of everything.

"Hmmm…how about just a plan tee and some sweatpants for now?" Bra asked, though she knew she would receive no answer. She picked out a white t-shirt and a pair of gray sweats from a drawer and hastily threw them on the man, making sure her hands and gaze didn't roam too far in. Still, her eyes drank in his strong build, wondering what it would feel like to have such a body wrapped around her. The men she had been with before were mostly pieces of pretty arm candy, their physiques similar to Goten's. This man's, however, was unlike her childhood crush in every way. And, perhaps, that was a good thing.

When she was finished clothing him, Bra secured the wardrobe back into its capsule, throwing it into her satchel. Though the jet might be easier for travel, she decided to carry the man over her shoulders, giggling as stubble brushed up against her chin. It was kind of romantic actually; like she was some knight and he was a prince she was saving from the clutches of an evil dragon. Though, Shenron was far from evil and she was pretty sure he wasn't a prince…

"But hey," Bra said as she flew off towards a nearby mountain range with a freshwater lake, "That's what pretend is for, right?"

Her only response was a small moan, the first noise that had escaped him since his revival. It wasn't as deep as she expected, but quite manly nonetheless. She imagined he had a smooth, rich voice, one that could fill a room at a mere whisper.

Bra hoped she could hear it soon; maybe over some breakfast.

_Probably has the typical Saiyan's appetite_, Bra mused, a somewhat nervous smile stretching across her face as they landed in a clearing half a mile away from the lake, _Hope he likes fish and eggs…lots and lots of fish and eggs_.


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, first off: this chapter ran waaaayyy too long, so I had to cut it a little short. This is more of an establishing chapter for Bra and her overall relationship with Marron. Just a heads up: Marron will be a pretty important character in this story, as I personally believe that they have a lot more in common than Pan and Bra do. Also, she's been dating Trunks for quite some time; Bra always regarded her as a sister-figure before and she does even more so now. Pan will show up as well along with the rest of the Son Family, but she won't be as relevant as Marron. Though I'm sure she'll be more than happy to spar with her Great-Uncle.

Also, to Alistar – considering how inconsistent the canon can be, I really don't find that dragon ball rule relevant. Besides, I've already completely disregarded the GT canon with this story as is. I'm not being too strict with myself with this story.

Chapter 3

"Hey! Raditz!" Bardock yelled from below the tree his son slept in, arms crossed in typical Saiyan fashion, "You ready for another spar yet?"

Raditz groaned, massaging his temples as his father's voice interrupted his peaceful doze, "Father…we _just_ battled the Ginyu Force. _And won_. What more could you possibly ask for?"

"Maybe some one-on-one with my oldest son?" Bardock replied, "We haven't fought off against each other in a while, and I'm really not in the mood for Nappa's close-combat, wrestling approach."

"Why don't you ask your friends?" Raditz inquired even as he descended towards his father, knowing full well he really couldn't say no. Bardock would probably hound him for the next day or two if he declined his invitation now. Then he would never get any sleep, "I'm sure Tora wouldn't mind another go."

"No offense to them, but they're not quite as strong as you are," Bardock smirked, latching a firm hand onto Raditz's shoulder. He had to reach a little, however: Raditz was several inches taller than his father, only second in stature to Nappa, "And I'm looking for a challenge."

Raditz paused before returning his father's smirk, a small warmth bubbling at the pits of his stomach. Not like he would ever admit it, but his father's approval and compliments were something Raditz had grown accustomed to in the afterlife. After years of constant belittling from Frieza, Zarbon, and the prince himself, it pleased him to no end to be appreciated by the one man he never really saw enough of as a child, "Alright, father. You win."

"I always do," was Bardock's quick reply, shooting off into the air with a short laugh, "Let's head over to the cliffs in the North. We can do some real damage there."

"We'll see about that!" Raditz exclaimed as he chased after his father, adrenaline swarming through him. A plethora of his aura emitted off him, dark purple swirling around his hair and clothes. It had been some time since their last proper spar. Maybe he could even whip out a few old tricks his father wouldn't suspect.

But before they could even make it to the battleground, a white light flashed before Raditz's eyes, engulfing his form. He shielded them from the annoyance, but it did little: he couldn't see his father or the mountains in front of him. Just what was happening?

"Raditz?" he heard his father call from behind the light, his voice alarmed, "What the – what's happening?!"

"I don't know!" Raditz replied, feeling a trickle of fear creep up his spine. The last time he'd been afraid, well…

He died.

"Hold on, Raditz. I'll get you out of there!" Bardock shouted, his voice much closer than before, "Shit! What is this thing? I can't – "

But the rest of his father's words were drowned out by the roar of rushing sand, the white light flickering in and out as Raditz felt his very soul ignite with the sensation of flesh. He could feel blood rush through his veins, a heart pounding in the hollow of his chest. But – but that was impossible! The only way this could be happening was if –

"_Your wish_," a deep voice thundered against his ears and a thousand memories rushed into his head: of his childhood on Planet Vegeta, of his training with Nappa and the prince, of discovering his brother was very much alive, of death and the story of a magical dragon, "_has been granted_."

And as the white light left his eyes, the faintest sight of blue hair fell into his vision. A moment passed, and Raditz succumbed to the inevitable darkness.

858585

"Sweet!" Bra pumped her fist into the air as she caught her sixth fish, throwing the floundering creature into the hand basket off the shore. The lake was swarming with trout and bass, definitely giving her enough food for when her guest woke up. He would be starving, no doubt about that. She had heard from her father that one could eat in the afterlife, but most of the food lacked real taste, nurturing the soul rather than a physical body. Meaning the man hadn't eaten anything worth bragging about in a _long _time. Though, truthfully, Bra had never been the best cook. Out of the three young women in their little clan of warriors, domesticity fell easier to Marron despite her mother's absolute lack of such qualities.

That left her wondering: just what did Saiyan men look for in a woman? Strong genes and high power levels, of course, but did they really care if a woman could cook? If they were pretty and flirtatious? From what her father had told her, Saiyan culture was a direct contrast to life on earth. Everything there had been built on power and prestige, emotions like love dwarfed by respect and camaraderie. Didn't mean Saiyans couldn't feel such emotions, however – if her father and Goku were anything to go by, she knew a full-blooded Saiyan could love just like a human. And she _had_ asked for a Saiyan man like –

"Bra, just what the hell do you think you're doing out here?"

Caught off-guard, Bra swirled around and slipped, her back slapping against the cool water. Her hair whipped into her face, blurring her vision of the blonde bombshell looming over the lake, "Marron, dammit, this is my favorite cut-off blouse!"

"Then why are you fishing in it?" her friend rebutted, a trace of humor edging into her voice.

"Ugh, that's not the point!" Bra flipped her wet hair out of her face, growling as Marron's smirk grew wider, "What are you doing here?"

"Mmmm, funny, I'm pretty sure I asked you that question first," Marron replied in mock confusion, twirling a few stray locks around her finger.

"That's none of your business, blondie," Bra huffed, lifting herself out of the water and walking towards the shore, "I told my parents and Trunks what I was doing. I don't have to answer to you."

"Oh yeah, the super sappy letter that was all about finding yourself and exploring the world," Marron rolled her eyes, "Please, no one bought that. Bulma checked for the dragon ball radar as soon as she read the letter. That, and the fact you stole the four-star from Gohan's last night…"

"Typical Z warriors," Bra mumbled, "Can't keep their traps shut for more than a bloody minute."

"Like Pan wasn't going to tell us. You know her," Marron replied, "Besides, Vegeta and Trunks sensed Shenron the moment you summoned him. But when we could still pinpoint your Ki without any sign of trouble, your parents thought it best if we left you alone…."

"And you thought otherwise," Bra finished for her, focusing her attention on the dead fish in the basket, "How did you even find me?"

"Oh c'mon, Bra!" Marron glided over to her friend, visibly hurt by the question, "Give me some credit. I've been your best friend since you were born. I can pick out your Ki halfway across the world, no sweat."

Bra bit back the anger rising in her throat – _no one_ should have found her, considering how well she had covered her tracks. She was miles away from where she had summoned Shenron; its Ki should have overpowered her minimal emissions and left even her father and brother guessing. But of course, Marron was different; what she lacked in physical prowess, she gained in expertise of Ki control. In that regard, she was just like Krillin, "You know, Marron? You're right."

"Huh?" was her friend's unintelligible response.

"I said you're right," Bra repeated, her tone light-hearted as she swallowed the rest of her anger away, "You're my best friend and I should give you credit for finding me. I suppressed my Ki as much as I could and you still found me within hours. That's pretty awesome, Marron."

At the unexpected compliments, Marron's flushed red, casting her eyes towards the white sand beneath her shoes, "Oh, well….thanks, I guess."

"That still doesn't explain what you're doing here, though," Bra said.

"Likewise, princess," Marron replied, her demeanor shifting to a faux haughtiness, to which Bra matched within seconds.

It was only until a fish jumped into the air and flopped back into the water that the facade was broken, causing both young women to burst out into contagious laughter. They collapsed onto the shore, Bra's wet clothes latching onto all the sand it could get a hold of. She would definitely need a shower after this.

"Jeez, for a moment I thought you were a serious," Bra confessed, taking Marron by the hand and lifting them both back up to their feet, "Almost like when we were kids."

"Yeah, we had some pretty wicked fights back then," Marron replied, her eyes focused on the water, seemingly recalling their childhood days, "It wasn't fair though; even when you were baby, you were stronger than me."

"Well, when you're the princess of all Saiyans, strength is just in your blood," Bra waggled her eyebrows as she spoke, flexing her biceps. Marron laughed at the gesture, swatting Bra on the back, "But hey! At least you're a natural blonde."

"You can always dye your hair, you know."

"Yeah, but that would take the fun out of it," Bra admitted, letting the conversation trickle at that. She knew that she couldn't take Marron back to the capsule home she had set up in the clearing, though Marron might have seen it anyway. Still, what could she tell her? Perhaps if she diverted the attention away from herself… "So, you've been hanging out around my house more often, eh?"

"Indeed I have," Marron didn't miss a beat, sticking out her tongue as Bra's attempts to further embarrass her proved futile, "Trunks _is_ my boyfriend. And I think your mom likes having me around. Though, I'm still not sure what your dad thinks of me after all this time, since I'm…you know…"

"That has nothing to do with it," Bra shook her head, "Just because my dad and your mom don't get along doesn't mean my dad holds some kind of grudge against you. Really, I think he sees you more as Krillin's daughter anyway."

Marron heaved a sigh, crossing her arms around her petite waist, "Still, it makes things a bit awkward around – hey, wait a minute! I see what you're doing here, Bra!"

At her friend's accusation, Bra waved one hand into the air, shrugging, "Fine, fine. You got me. You still don't know what I'm doing here and I'm trying to avoid the explanation as long as possible."

"Look, Bra," Marron stopped in front of her, pressing both of her hands against her chest, "If you had told me what you were _really_ doing, I wouldn't have come. But you left the wedding reception without telling anyone where you were going and, well…I got a little scared. Like you were going to do something stupid."

"Stupid?" Bra bristled at the word 'stupid,' narrowing her eyes, "Stupid like what?"

"When your mom said you took the radar, I thought…" Marron gulped, turning her stare away from Bra, "I thought you might wish Valese never met Goten or – "

At the mere suggestion, Bra laughed, interrupting the rest of her friend's words, "Oh my gosh, _really_? Marron, what – oh my gosh! Marron! I can't believe you thought that!"

"I know, I know!" Marron admitted, giggling right along with her, "I guess I was being stupid too. You were just so sad at the reception…"

"Believe me, you know I'm much stronger than that," Bra patted her friend on the shoulder as the rest of her laughter faded, picking up her basket of fish as they continued to walk along the shore, "I'm a Saiyan! I can get over anything."

"So…does that mean…" Marron's voice sounded hopeful.

Bra nodded, a bright smile escaping her, "Yep! I'm totally over Goten! Turning a new leaf and everything."

"That's wonderful, Bra!" Marron exclaimed, coming in to hug her best friend, "Really, that's great! Now we can finally find you a proper guy, someone who will know how to treat a real queen bee."

"That's not necessary," Bra replied, shaking her head, "I'm done with human men of any kind."

"What? But that's all that's left," Marron crooked a brow, "Unless you count the dinosaur and animal morphs, but you wouldn't really – "

"Eww, gross Marron."

"But then who –" Marron stopped, her eyes almost bulging out of her sockets. Bra decided she didn't like that look.

She didn't like that look one bit.

"Marron, are you –"

"Where is he, Bra?" Marron asked, her voice barely above whisper.

Bra faltered for a second, trying to shake off her nerves through a wide smile, "What are you talking –"

"Don't play dumb," Marron interrupted her again, eyes shaping into the harsh expression only she and her mother were capable of. Bra had learned a long time ago she didn't like that look either, "It all makes sense now. Leaving after our conversation like that, going after the dragon balls – Bra, how can you be so stupid!"

The last word did Bra in, fists tightening at the very notion. Who was Marron to call her wants stupid? Hadn't she been in this position a few years back, when Trunks was dating that starlet from all those action flicks? "_Don't_ call me that, Marron."

"I can call you whatever I want," was Marron's snide reply as she started to take flight, "And until you tell me where the Saiyan you revived is, I'm going to keep calling you it! Couldn't you wait, Bra? I knew you were desperate but I didn't think – "

"Don't call me desperate either!" Bra exclaimed, dropping the basket and shooting after Marron. When she was within reach, she pointed a finger straight into her chest, making sure it had just enough strength to push the blonde a few feet back, "I could get any man I want at the snap of my damn fingers. If there is one thing I have never been, it's desperate!"

Marron kept her cool despite the verbal barrage, keeping her Ki relatively low; her posture was rigid, however, set to strike at a moment's notice, "Then just what would you call this little escapade, huh? How is this, in any way, _not_ a desperate attempt to get the next best thing?"

Bra chewed at the bottom of her lip, Marron's words sinking in and stirring up doubt, making her all the more angry, "It's not like that!"

"It's not?" Marron almost sneered.

"At – at least not anymore!" her voice was near a shrill now, an often occurrence when she was backed into a corner. Marron was right; Marron was _always_ right. But how could she admit that now? There was a grown man sleeping in a cot just a mile away, living and breathing all because of her…_desperation_.

_How pathetic_, she though as she felt a tear slip down her cheek, the hollow of her chest burning at the humiliation she would no doubt suffer. How was she going to explain this to her parents or Trunks? Hell, how could she ever look Goten in the eye if he was ever to discover what she had really wanted all this time?

"Bra…" Marron's voice softened, reverting back to the kind eyes and gentile face she was known for. Her hands stretched out towards Bra, hovering near her chin "Bra…you're – I didn't mean to get you this upset. I got carried away. But…Bra, this is _serious_. It's not like you were reviving someone we knew and loved. This guy…he's a stranger and he's a Saiyan. There's no telling what's going to happen...so you need to tell me where he is."

"Why, so you'll get Goku or my dad to correct my little mistake?" Bra knew she was defeated but honestly, she couldn't help it. A queen bee until very the end.

"No," Marron shook her head, wiping the stray tear off Bra's face, "So I can help you."

Her eyes widened and she looked up, her friend's smile just as encouraging and thoughtful as it had been ten years ago. The confusion must have been evident, for Marron soon laughed, wrapping her arms around Bra in a brief hug, "C'mon, you brat. You didn't think I'd leave you hanging on this? Sure, it was a _dumb_ thing to do and you _are_ going to fix it, but…I can lend a helping hand."

"Thank you, Marron," Bra mumbled into the folds of Marron's shirt, "Really."

"You're welcome," Marron drew back, the smile still wide on her face, "But seriously, where is this guy? I haven't felt any abnormal Ki over here besides yours."

"It's probably because he's still recovering," Bra replied, swooping back over to the shore to grab a hold of her basket, "He hasn't woken up since I revived him."

"Hmmm…he must have been dead for a while then," Marron mused before her smile morphed into a mischievous smirk, "So…how'd you get him over here then, sweet Bra?"

She chose not to answer that question, though the hint of red staining her cheeks was more than enough satisfaction for Marron, "Doesn't matter. Let's just get this over with, okay?"

"Sure thing," Marron replied, following Bra as she led the way back to the portable home, "I've been dying for some freshwater fish for like a month now, anyway."

"Who said you get any?"

"Is that any way to treat the woman who holds your life in the palm of her hands?"

"…Can you help me with the seasonings?"

"No problem, blue."

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The next chapter: Raditz will finally awake, and the first meeting between he and Bra (and third-wheeling Marron haha) will commence ^_^ By the way, I would really appreciate some feedback, especially with my take on Bra and Raditz as time marches on.


	4. Chapter 4

Warning: There's a little bit of swearing in this, but I try to make it seem tasteful and as in-the-moment as possible. Also, this chapter is quite long due to the content. Meeting the daughter of the asshole who abandoned you will do that.

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"Whoa," Marron breathed out, sitting beside Bra on the loveseat couch across the man's bed, "That's some hair."

Bra snorted at her remark, her focus reserved on the man's face. It was quite gentle in sleep, "That's all you can say? Don't you find him – "

"Handsome?" Marron finished for her, "Yeah. Of course; it seems to be a natural trait of you Saiyans from what I can tell. And I don't know how it was possible, but it he actually has _more_ muscle mass and definition than your dad or Goku. And he's so tall! He hardly fits on that cot."

"That's better," Bra smiled, sticking out her tongue, "I'm glad you approve."

Marron shot her a look, but didn't entice Bra with further banter, "But that is some hair. I hope he'll let someone cut it. You're small enough to get lost in it."

"Hmm, you're right," Bra giggled a little, standing up and offering Marron her hand, "That's enough ogling for now. You promised to help with the fish, remember?"

"Mmmhmm," Marron hummed, taking Bra's hand, "I'm afraid that's the only way it's going to be edible."

"Hey!"

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Raditz was roused by the smell and sound of sizzling fish.

He tried to open his eyes and sit up, but he quickly withdrew into his covers, the sheer amount of pain covering every inch of his body too much to bear. Ugh, what had happened in his fight with his father? He couldn't remember any of it. They were flying towards the mountain battlegrounds and then –

_White light. A wish. Blue hair. _

And despite the pain wafting over him, Raditz shot up from his mattress, a frantic gasp escaping his throat. The first thing he noticed was that he could feel; _really_ feel. His hands could feel the rough texture of his skin, the thick hair cascading over his shoulders. He wiggled his feet from inside the blankets he was wrapped in, the soft cotton tickling the soles. Next, he noticed that every color his eyes absorbed was brighter than they had been in hell; the whites of the walls, the red of the couch across from him….each piece in the room was rich with hues Raditz hadn't seen in over forty years. Lastly, his nose could pick up every smell, be it the fish cooking nearby to the strange, gentle fragrance filling the room. Flowery with a hint of passion fruit…Raditz decided he liked it.

Taking another deep breath (and rather enjoying the way his body filled with life), Raditz plopped back down onto the mattress, already exhausted by his stroke of fortune. None of this made any sense; he had waited _years_ to be revived by the prince before accepting his fate for the rest of eternity. The afterlife in hell was surprisingly pleasant with his father and Nappa, anyway. What could have prompted his return? And more importantly, who could have wished for it?

_There had been that blue hair_, Raditz mused as he looked towards the lone window in the room, sunlight streaming through. A vibrant warmth spread across his skin and Raditz couldn't help but relish the simple feeling. It had been a long time since he had felt true warmth, _And that woman with Kakarot had had it…could it have been her?_

Raditz tried to recall the memories of _that _day, but just the thought sent his new body bristling, bile rising to the roof of his throat. He had died at the hands of that wench's friends – at the hands of his own brother! Why the hell would they wish them back? Why would any of them wish them back? He had accepted his fate. He had _liked_ it in Hell.

Anger swarmed over his skin, quickening his pulse and the beat of his heart. His fists ached to punch out the wall beside him, but he could hardly sit as is, let alone stand and walk. How long did it take to recover from a forty year death, anyway?

"Oh my god," a voice from the other side of the room caught his attention and Raditz turned his head, surprised by the petite woman standing in the doorway. She lacked the blue hair he had caught sight of, and she definitely didn't seem like any kid Kakarot would have with that woman anyway. Oddly, she sort of resembled the tiny man he had knocked into that house.

When she said nothing else, mouth hanging agape, Raditz chose to raise a hand towards his face and grant her a little wave, using his voice for the first time since his revival, "Hello."

The word came out stiff and it was strange to feel his throat vibrate at the sound, but it seemed to do the trick. The woman immediately scurried back from wherever she came from, shouting out to someone named Bra.

Luckily, he was able to pick up on the mumbled conversation. Saiyans had some great ears.

"Bra, he's awake!" the woman whispered fiercely.

"Huh? You sure?" another voice asked, this one just a touch more feminine and proud.

"Yes, I'm sure! Now go over there and tell him what's up."

"Alright; you stay here and look after the fish."

"Are you kidding me? There's no way I'm leaving you alone with him."

"Please, Marron. You're talking to his princess."

"Like he's going to believe you with that kind of hair."

"Just – ugh, fine. Stay outside of the room and I'll call you if I need any help. I'm sure if push comes to shove, we can take him out no problem."

Raditz crooked a brow, trying to absorb as much of that vague information before this 'Bra' came in to see him. _His _princess? How was that even possible? The only other royal family member possibly alive was Vegeta's younger brother. There were no known princesses of his former planet. And taking him out - that blonde and this 'princess?'

Had they any idea who they were dealing with?

"Ohhh, you are awake," Raditz turned his head once again to the doorway. This time, his eyes bulged.

It was her. The woman with the blue hair from that island. But her hair was longer and she seemed…younger? Shorter? No, that couldn't be right; almost forty years had passed. That woman had to be near her sixties by now. This was – could it be – ?

"They had another," Raditz groaned, a headache starting to bud at the back of his skull. He definitely didn't miss those; the prince could stir up several daily, "I can't believe that fool."

The blue-haired woman cocked her head to the side, lips twisted into a slight pout, "Hmm? What do you mean?"

Ugh, she seemed just as clueless as Kakarot. Wonderful, "Are you not the daughter of that woman? I believe Kakarot called her Bulma?"

Her eyes widened at that remark, her form shrinking away from the doorframe, "Wha…h-how do you know my mom? And no one else calls Goku that besides my dad!"

Okay, so _that_ was unexpected. Kakarot wasn't her father? And more importantly, she didn't know who he was? Then why had he been revived in the first place? "You mean to tell me Kakarot isn't your father?"

"Eww, no!" the girl shook her head, "Goku and mom…eww! They're the best of friends but they definitely don't see each other that way! Ugh, now that image is going to be stuck in my head for the next three years. Gross."

Odd…he could tell from her lean arms and legs she was a fighter, though how capable she was had yet to be seen. That Bulma woman wouldn't have trained her… and her father called Kakarot by his Saiyan name, "Then who is?"

"Wait, hold on!" the girl threw her hands in front of her chest, taking a cautious step towards him, "You still haven't told me who you are and how you know my mom. Did you two meet in space?"

Raditz shook his head, the frustration he had felt earlier building up again. Had this been a mistake, his revival? This woman had no idea who he was or what had occurred between him and Kakarot forty years ago…he had been forgotten, after all, "No, we didn't. I…_met_ your mother on earth, as well as Kakarot. And the day I met your mother, I died."

"You – you died?" she took another step towards him, her face softening, "On the day you met my mother…you call Goku by his Saiyan name…."

She stopped, eyes widening once again. Her fingers shook a little and her body stiffened. Contempt etched into her face, a scowl adorning her pink lips, "That –! _That asshole dragon_!"

At the abrupt shout, the blonde woman re-entered the room, her face just as ashen as the other's, "You have to be kidding me, Bra! You revived – "

"_You_ revived me?" Raditz turned his attention back to Bra. This woman revived him, instead of her mother or Kakarot or any of the others he had met? But for what? _Why_?

"Oh my god, Marron, my dad is going to kill me," Bra groaned, plopping herself onto the loveseat, "I can't believe this, I can't believe this, _I can't believe this_."

"Well you better believe it," the blonde said from behind her. Her fingers curled over a steel coat hanger on the wall and Raditz swore it bent within moments, "This just got a hell of a lot more personal."

Bra ignored her friend, hands over her ears and eyes glued to the flower patterns on her skirt. Acting as though the world itself had come to end.

"Well, at least you know who I am," was Raditz's next words, his tone every bit as bitter as he felt, "Though you have yet to say my name. Or yours. Or who your father is. Or why I'm here."

"I'm sorry," Marron tried to smile, but her lips could only strain under the pressure she undoubtedly felt, "You're…you're Raditz, right? Goku's brother? My father's talked about you once or twice when I would ask for a bedtime story."

"And your father is…" Raditz trailed. He had his suspicions on whom, but it didn't really matter to him in the long run. It wasn't she who had wished for him anyway.

Still, nice to know he lived on in stories, albeit more vicious and frightening to excite the likes of a child.

"You hit him in the face," Marron replied, "On that island. His name is Krillin and he's your brother's best friend. My name is Marron and this is Bra. She's – "

"Let me tell him," Bra insisted, sitting up straight with determined brows, "It's only right."

Marron shrugged and Raditz gave his full attention to the blue-haired girl once again, a little unnerved at how much she did look like that Bulma. Some might find it strange how he could remember such things; he'd only been at that island for ten minutes or so. But with eternity at his fingertips and shallow regret eating away at his stomach, Raditz had remembered everything. Constantly wondering about what could have been done or said to turn things around. So that he wouldn't have to die or lose his brother.

"So, as you know, my mother is Bulma," Bra started, her voice taking on an air of authority that Raditz was all too familiar with, "And my father…well, it's a long story on how they ended up together, but, well…he's Vegeta…your prince."

Well, didn't see that one coming.

At fucking all.

"You have got to be shitting me," Raditz almost growled, his sore fists bunching up the blankets close to his chest. If he had the strength, he definitely would have slammed his head into that wall right about now, "How is that even possible? The prince is your father? And your mother is that woman?"

"I – I know that might come as a bit of a shock," the girl kept her cool despite his agitated disposition, body a tad more rigid than it had been before, "But it's the truth. I'm sure you've wondered what happened to Vegeta since he never – "

"Don't assume anything," he replied, "I never wondered anything after that bastard left me for dead; and I know all about the little prince's escapades on Planet Namek and Earth. Hell is fond of gossip."

"Oh," Bra blinked, "But none of his enemies mentioned his son Trunks? Like Cell?"

"That's his son? I always assumed that was another one of Kakarot's brats."

The blonde shook her head, "No, Goku only had two sons, and one of them was born after the Cell Games. His name is Goten."

Raditz snorted, "Of course it is."

The three fell silent after that, all lost in thoughts of what to do next. Raditz, however, was the most perturbed. Vegeta had a mate. _And kids_. The most antisocial son of a bitch in the universe had a perfect little life with a perfect little family and he had left Raditz to die.

_"He laughed, you know," Nappa said, "I wanted to revive you and I thought we would and he just…laughed."_

"You're taking this rather well," Bra was the first to speak, her hands now sitting atop her knees, "You know, for a Saiyan."

"Forty years in Hell tends to mellow a person out," Raditz replied, a ghost of a smirk finding its way to his lips, "But if my body wasn't in a state of complete and total shock, I'd have bashed this wall in five minutes ago."

The girl giggled at that, the sound tingling against his ears, "Well, it's a good thing you're not one hundred percent yet; I don't have another capsule other than the jet. Not really comfortable, to be honest."

He had no idea what she meant by capsule, but Raditz nodded either way. Still, she had yet to answer the one question that had been gnawing at him and it outweighed every bit of disgust he suffered, "Why am I here?"

Her giggling abruptly stopped, smile wiped clean off her face, "Uh…come again?"

Really, she _wasn't _Kakarot's daughter? "I asked you why I'm here. Why did you revive me after all this time? Did your father send you? Or Kakarot maybe?"

The girl crinkled her nose, her stare darting across the room, avoiding his form by all means. Before Raditz could ask again, the blonde answered for her, tone much more at ease (and even a little playful), "She wanted you for a partner."

Bra jumped out of her seat at the remark, turning her head to stare back at her friend's rascally grin, "_Marron_!"

"What? It's the truth," Marron shrugged, chuckling, "Besides, he deserves to know, right?"

"Partner?" Raditz quipped up, "What kind of…partner?"

"A –"

"Sparring partner!" Bra exclaimed, firmly covering Marron's mouth with her hand, "I wished for a sparring partner to train with!"

"You revived me…to spar with you…" Raditz trailed, the rage in his stomach surging, coursing through his tender muscles. He had been revived by Vegeta's daughter. He was supposed to spar with Vegeta's daughter.

He was to be _used_ by Vegeta's daughter.

Apparently, Bra didn't catch on to his darkening expression, laughing and nodding her head as fast as she could, "Yep! Sure did."

Marron pulled away from Bra, eyes narrowing, "Oh, really Bra? Care to tell him why?"

Bra didn't miss a beat, "I needed someone around my level to help me train and ascend to Super Saiyan. As the one and only Saiyan princess, I feel like it's my duty to achieve a feat every other Saiyan has, you know? And I guess Shenron just thought Raditz would be the perfect candidate."

Another giggled escaped her and Raditz almost recoiled from the sound. He couldn't believe this. Hadn't he paid his dues? What was with the fucking universe trying to humiliate him at every possible turn?

"I'm to be the princess's sparring partner," Raditz said, the words tasting like venom.

"Yeah! It should be…" the giggling faded, the girl realizing a little too late how narrow his eyes had become.

"I'm to be the princess's little _plaything_."

Memories of years long passed zoomed across his vision: of training with the young prince, of being beaten and used, of being called trash by the very boy he swore at the impressionable age of six to serve until his dying day. And Raditz had been stupid enough to think that the boy would have a change of heart as they grew older together. That maybe, if Raditz's life was on the line, he would come to his rescue, as the leader of his people should.

Time and time again he had hoped. And time and time again, Vegeta had proved him wrong.

But his allegiance to the prince had been broken the day he set foot on earth. He owed the prince no favors. Especially none that concerned the self-entitled brat who wished him back.

"No…" Bra shook her head, drawing closer to the man in an attempt to console him, "That's not – that's not what it's like! Please let me –"

"You've explained enough," Raditz spat, throwing off the covers with the little strength his body could muster. Even then, the blankets shot across the room to the other side of the wall, knocking over a lamp, "And now I have no reason to stay."

"Don't act rash," the blonde said, her form becoming much more closed off and defensive. So it seemed like this one knew when trouble was approaching; it had to come from her mother's side, then. And Raditz was pretty sure he had no idea who that was, "You're body's still recovering. There's no way you can possibly walk out of this place, let alone fly."

"What do you know of Saiyans or death, woman?" Raditz retaliated, unaccustomed to a woman telling him what he could or couldn't do.

Despite the tense atmosphere, Marron smirked, a flash of a challenge sweeping over her face, "I've been around you freaks all my life; I'm even dating one. And I died once – it wasn't hardly anything I would call fun."

"Then you should understand that as a Saiyan, I'm not going to stand by and wait to be beaten by a spoiled twig," Raditz replied, keeping his focus on Marron to add further insult to "his princess". What a joke – what another asinine twist the fates had thrown at him.

"What…_what_?" Bra seethed, shoving herself in-between the two as Raditz struggled to take his first step out of bed, "Spoiled? A _twig_? _No one_ speaks to me like that, especially not some asshole who should be thanking me!"

"Thanking you?" Raditz tried to sound as angry, but the utter amount of stress pressing into his body as he settled his feet onto the cool wood floor caused him to appear weary; _weak_, "For what?"

Bra grunted in disgust, slapping a hand to her chest, "For saving you from hell! If it wasn't for me, you'd still be there suffering for all eternity!"

"Oh, thanking you for that? Really?" Raditz winced as he stood up, his legs as wobbly as a toddler's, "Am I to be gracious to the little princess? To serve under her like I did her father? Tell me, what will you do with me once you ascend? Leave me to die on a planet I know nothing about? Have my body rot in a field where I faced a humiliating defeat? Is that what you have planned, _my liege_?"

The woman shook, her fists rising from her hips to the pit of her stomach. He could tell she was on the brink of tears, struggling to keep her composure in the face of accusations against her father, "Shut up. Shut up or I'm going to slap you."

Feeling rash and emboldened by her response, Raditz fixed one hand onto the girl's petite shoulder, taking his first step, "Go ahead. The prince did worse."

"Why are you fighting this?" Marron chimed in, her body taking up the whole of the doorframe, "You need rest! You can't go out there in your condition or you're going to die again."

"I don't see how that's a bad thing," Raditz tried to smirk, but he could only cringe again as pain burst through this torso, his stomach clenching tight with hunger and thirst, "I have no reason to stay."

"But you could – you could set things right with Goku and his family!" Marron said, "You could be friends with all of us – even Vegeta. He's changed so much, really! And – and you could even become a super Saiyan, like –"

"For your information I've already ascended twice," Raditz replied, releasing his hold on Bra as he took another laboring step forward, "My father taught me; I guess you didn't word your wish right, princess."

He turned to look back at the defeated woman, pleased with the way her head was cast down in shame, hands limps at her thighs. Such a little fool, just like –

"No," Bra whipped around, not a one tear or any sign of humiliation written across her face, "I worded it exactly right."

Raditz crooked a brow, taken aback, "Come again?"

"Shenron gave me exactly what I wanted," Bra nodded, more to herself than to him. Then, unexpectedly, _she picked Raditz up_ (all six feet, six inches and three hundred and thirteen pounds), curled his body into her lithe arms, and walked him back to the bed.

Raditz squirmed in her surprisingly strong hold, his cheeks flushed in embarrassment, "Wha – what is this? Unhand me, woman!"

"My name is not woman," she said firmly as she threw him back onto the bed, scuttling to pick up the blankets he had thrown beforehand, "My name is Bra and you will address me as so."

"I don't have to address you as anything!" Raditz countered, trying to no avail to stand back up. His body had already expelled whatever latent energy he had possessed. Now he was in desperate need of a hearty meal and lots and lots of water, "You took everything away from me, just like your prick father! I had accepted my fate – _I was happy there_!"

"Well now you're going to be happy here, where you belong," Bra replied, smoothing the covers over his wriggling body, "I didn't mean to wish you back, but I did. And we _both_ have to accept it. You're my responsibility from now on and despite whatever you think of me, I'll make sure all your needs and wants are met."

His needs? His wants? "What could you possibly know of that?"

"As your princess, it's my duty to find that out," Bra stared down at him, her lips taking on the faintest of smiles, "Isn't it? And I'm sure the first thing you need is to recover here, at least until you can fly again."

It was unexpected, the way his body prickled with warmth at her words, how his heart skipped a beat at her kind eyes. He stopped wriggling then, his exhausted body melting into the mattress.

"Uh…Bra?" Marron cleared her throat, catching the two's attention, "The food?"

"Oh! That's right!" Bra bopped her head, laughing a little as she rushed over to Marron, "Completely forgot about that – I'm sure you're starving, right Raditz?"

Raditz didn't say anything. He only nodded and her smile grew a tad more.

"Okay then! We should have that out in ten minutes or so. Just try to relax while we're gone. We'll talk more then, I promise."

Raditz nodded again and watched the two women depart, not bothering to listen in on their conversation this time around.

She was his princess. He was her responsibility.

She was Vegeta's daughter, the prince that had abandoned him.

If only he could sit back up; if only he had enough strength to scream and punch that fucking wall.

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A few notes:

1. There were a few ways I saw the first encounter going, and I believed this to be the most realistic approach. Raditz has a lot of unresolved resentment when it comes to Vegeta, and being wished back by the guy's daughter to essentially be her punching bag (or so he thinks) does _not_ sit well with him.

2. Raditz, as well as Bardock and Nappa, have changed quite a bit through their journeys in Hell. What Raditz said I believe to be true – a lot of the villains end up mellowing out over there and sort of have fun thrashing on each other. Therefore, this Raditz isn't a direct adaption from what we see portrayed in the magna and/or anime. He'll still have the base character, but I've branched him off quite a bit. Besides, he was having a pretty bad day, whereas the anime flashback showed him to be much more subdued.

3. It's implied in the anime (not sure about the magna) that Nappa _did_ consider Raditz his friend, with the way he seems to mourn over his death far much more and longer than Vegeta. Personally, I think Nappa gets a bad rep simply because he isn't a bishonen, so he's perceived as a bigger baddie than Vegeta – when canonically, Nappa did show compassion towards his fellow Saiyans when Vegeta felt absolutely none. Remember, it _is _Vegeta who kills Nappa; it is Vegeta who betrays, once again, his fellow Saiyan. You can say it's a product of the lifestyle he adapted by Frieza while Nappa had developed in the Saiyan culture where loyalty was valued, but that certainly doesn't excuse his behavior. Essentially, where I'm going with this is Raditz _isn't _forgiving Vegeta willy-nilly. It's going to take a lot of work for Vegeta to regain the trust and loyalty Raditz once held for him (which, is something he might not see the point of, despite his significant character development).

4. Also when it comes to power increase in the afterlife, since Goku was capable of increasing his power while he was dead, I see no problems with others doing so. I believe Raditz ascending twice to be realistic. However, since he had ascended when he was dead, he consequently doesn't know how to ascend when a body is attached to his soul. So while he'll be much stronger from his initial appearance, it's going to take some time for him to regain the power he's lost. After all, he's been dead for forty years. He's almost like a newborn at this point.

5. Lastly, I hope to make Bra and Raditz's eventual relationship as natural as possible. It's going to be quite a challenge, considering how much baggage both of them will carry after the inevitable confrontation with Vegeta. However, I think they're a pretty good match for one another – they just have to discover that for themselves.

6. Oh wait, forgot a thing: Tarble and Gure will be a part of this story as well! They do visit Earth from time to time and have a set of adorable twins – one boy and one girl. I haven't thought of their names yet, but they will be quite fond of Raditz's hair. ^_^

If you could review, that would be wonderful. You don't how much it means to receive feedback (however, I get really peeved when all someone writes is to hurry up and update, so if you could refrain yourselves from that, I would be eternally grateful).

Next chapter: Raditz shares a meal with Bra and Marron while thousands of miles away, Vegeta wonders why the third Ki near Bra's is so familiar…and Trunks wonders why Marron left him in the middle of the night (they were snuggling, dammit).


	5. Chapter 5

Vegeta's morning was pretty tame.

He uncurled himself from Bulma a quarter past eight, stretching out his recovered muscles thoroughly enough to take part in a training session by noon. While a Saiyan's body was much more capable than a human's as they aged, Vegeta had his fair share of sore backs and cramped toes. He was nearing his mid-sixties, after all. And he was only mortal.

_Not like that's a bad thing_, he thought, his lips tugging into a small smile as he took one more look at his sleeping wife. Still a vision, even with her hair starting to gray. He left before she had a chance to wake up and catch him staring. Only god knew how often an occurrence that was.

He flew down the stairs and made his way towards the kitchen, his stomach already starting to gurgle at the mere anticipation of food. While Vegeta was hardly a master chef, he knew how to whip up a half-dozen scrambled eggs and fry a piece of steak. Not like Bulma could do any better, or Bra for that matter. All the culinary skills had been reserved for Trunks, apparently.

_Hmmm, maybe I could get him to cook for me_, Vegeta mused. It had been some time since Trunks had cooked anything at home. He spent so much time at that island nowadays, swimming or watching local news with Marron. Not like Vegeta cared, really. It was good his son was in a stable relationship, considering his past affairs had been rather catastrophic. And Marron was a fighter, someone who would have no trouble keeping the Saiyan line thriving.

If only she wasn't that daughter of that _thing_. Thirty years later and he still couldn't wrap his head around the idea she was part of their little clan, the wife of Goku's best friend and the mother of the child his son would probably marry.

Oh god. That meant they would be in-laws.

"Karma is such a bitch," Vegeta muttered as he cracked open one egg after the other. Really, it was so typical of his life. Meets low-class Saiyan; beats you up and wants to be friends. Watches low-class Saiyan overthrow the very man who killed your people; does so by becoming a super Saiyan. Starts to loathe another person; son ends up falling in love with her daughter.

He was almost surprised he and Bulma had managed to keep their relationship together with all his shortcomings beforehand. Perhaps it was his one blessing; that and the children.

And speaking of children…

"Isn't it a little early for you to be up, son?" Vegeta asked Trunks, not bothering to turn his head as the young man entered the kitchen.

His response was a drawn-out yawn, followed by the sound of a refrigerator being ransacked, "I just wanted to go to the bathroom, but Marron up and left me in the middle of the night. She didn't even leave a note."

That was surprising; she was usually a considerate young woman. Had to get that from her father's side, no doubt, "Did you two get in a fight?"

"No, nothing like that," Trunks replied, his hand filled to the brim with bread, deli meat, and swiss cheese, "But…from what I can tell, she went looking for Bra. Her ki is in the same area and she left without her travel bag."

Vegeta grunted, the rim of the bowl underneath his fingers beginning to crack, "I thought we said this wasn't a big deal? Whatever Bra wished for couldn't have been anything too risky or we would have had to save the world by now."

Trunks smirked a little, "That's just Marron for you – stubborn as she is curious. Though she could have left a note so I didn't have to figure it out myself."

Vegeta merely nodded this time, unconcerned with his son's relationship complications at the moment. He was more preoccupied with the fact that besides being Trunk's girlfriend, Marron was his daughter's best friend as well. The only way it could have been worse was if Kakarot's youngest had attempted to pursue Bra instead of that bubbly earth woman. That would have been the kicker really – his and Kakarot's genes colliding.

At least fate wasn't that cruel.

"You think they'll be okay, dad?" Trunks asked before taking a hulking bite of his sandwich, "I know I shouldn't be worried, but this is Bra we're talking about."

"They're two of the strongest women on earth," Vegeta replied, "And Bra is one of the smartest. You should know by now they don't need any protection."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Trunks sighed, "Still, I'm getting this nagging feeling – what _did _Bra wish for? If she got what she wanted, shouldn't she have come home by now?"

"Your sister loves thrills and adventures. Maybe she wished for a map to some ruins, I don't know," Vegeta shrugged, pouring his whipped eggs into a pan, "She'll come home before school starts up or your mother will have her head. You'll find out then, I'm sure."

Trunks nodded, about to take another bite of his sandwich before his eyes widened, his brows arched in worry, "You don't think Marron's going to stay with her for the rest of the week, do you?"

Vegeta resisted the urge to sigh; seriously, when had he ever encouraged his son to talk about his love life around him? "If you're that concerned about it, visit them tomorrow if they don't return. Your girlfriend can't stand your lovesick face any more than me."

His son narrowed his eyes in mock offense, but soon chuckled before wrapping up his sandwich and patting his father on the shoulder, "Good one, dad. Thanks for the advice. You still up to that spar today?"

"If you think you can keep up. Then yes."

Trunks chuckled again, "Alright, I'll be in my workshop until then."

_Damn, I forgot to ask him if he could cook the steak_, Vegeta thought as his son glided out of the kitchen. And he seasoned them so well, too…

Before he could curse his latest misfortune however, Vegeta felt the tiniest of a familiar Ki flare up in Bra's general direction, stunting his movement for a moment or two. That was strange. The Ki certainly wasn't Bra or Marron's – he was pretty good at recognizing both of them by now (despite his reluctance to accept the latter). Still, it felt familiar, like he had been around it before. He made a quick mental list of all his human comrades – perhaps it could be that Tien; he lived in the nearby mountains. Yamcha was another candidate. Bra usually called upon her godfather whenever she had problems small enough for a human to deal with.

_Whoever it is, they don't seem to be hostile_, Vegeta considered, deciding it best to continue on with his morning and wait it out. The Ki seemed like something they could handle fine on their own, anyway.

But it was just _so_ familiar. It would probably bother him for the rest of the day. Maybe Trunks knew who it was.

"Babe, you cooking down there?" Bulma called from the second floor, her feet pitter-pattering across the steps, "Mind sharing?"

"You better hurry up!" Vegeta exclaimed back. Guess he was cooking for two….

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The first half of breakfast went by in a tense silence.

Raditz had snatched the plate away as soon as Bra neared, but she knew it would be foolish to react and rile up the situation again. Besides, maybe his temperament would soften up once he had some food in his system.

Wishful thinking, considering she had plenty of evidence to the contrary.

His eyes stayed glued to his plate, taking large but cautious bites of the grilled fish and scrambled eggs. Given his stiff posture and perpetually narrowed eyes, Bra had a hard time deciphering if he actually liked what he was eating. If he was anything like Goten, he would have praised her the moment the first bite set in, complimenting her in just about any way possible. He was always so thoughtful and in-tune with her emotions….at least whenever Valese wasn't in plain sight.

As always, Marron was the first to try to air out the heavy atmosphere, humming out a gratuitous approval as she took another bite, "Wow, Bra! I really like the seasoning on this! You're such a pro in the kitchen now."

Bra smiled a bit, even though it was a bit obvious Marron was lying through her teeth. The seasoning had been of her own making. The only thing Bra had done was lather it on the fish, "Thanks, Marron. It came out much better than my last attempt."

Marron nodded, turning her attention to the Saiyan, "What do you think, Raditz? How's it taste to you?"

He grunted and nodded in response, shoving another forkful of eggs into his mouth. He gulped it down and turned his head slightly, eyes making brief contact with Bra's, "It's good. Probably better than some of the stuff they would give us on the stations."

"Great!" Marron exclaimed, "Would you like some more? It seems like you're almost done."

Raditz looked down at his plate, a few more pieces of fish stuck to the side. He quickly ate the rest and handed his plate over, "Yes, that would be fine."

She stood up and took the plate, turning around to cast a small wink at as she left the room.

_Don't screw this up_, was what she seemed to say.

Great; round two was about to start and Bra had only eaten half her plate.

"Are you sure you're a Saiyan?" Raditz was the first to speak, his gaze flickering over said plate of food, "You don't seem to have the appetite."

Her stomach tightened at the comment, almost demanding she prove herself by grabbing the food with her bare hands and gobbling it up like a caveman, "I _am _a Saiyan and I _do_ have the appetite, thank you very much. My mother told me it was rude to eat the way my father did, so I try to restrain myself, especially in company."

Raditz smirked, "How silly. Are manners worth more than your pride?"

Bra scoffed in return, clenching her fork so tight it started to bend, "Actually, on earth, decency and pride are intermingled, so yes. I have enough pride in myself not to act like some uneducated barbarian."

The man furrowed his brows, "Are you implying something, woman?"

"I already told you my name isn't 'woman,'" Bra bristled.

"Well it sure as hell isn't 'princess,' either," Raditz shot back.

"What's your problem?" Bra stood up, slamming her plate onto the nearby countertop despite her stomach's strong objection, "I thought we came to some sort of – I don't know – unspoken agreement like ten minutes ago!"

"Where did you get that idea?" Raditz crossed his arms, "The only reason I'm cooperating with any of this is because _I can't leave this bed_. If my Ki was decent enough, I would have left as soon as you uttered the words 'Vegeta is my father.'"

"You would have done no such thing," Bra rolled at her eyes. Seriously, what was with Saiyan men? While Trunks and Goten weren't as bad, they did have a tendency to be reckless. Her mother had told her quite a few stories, "You really think my father or Goku wouldn't have picked up on your Ki? All the strongest people on the earth are their friends. Any power level above mine or Marron's would have sent them straight to this location. What would you have done then?"

"Probably died," Raditz replied curtly, voice laced with a seething anger he couldn't seem to repress, "Vegeta and Kakarot seem to like me that way."

Bra was taken aback at the remark, unable to come up with a proper response. He was right; both her father and Goku had never expressed remorse or regret at reviving Raditz, at least not around her. Once her Uncle Tarble had come into the picture, she imagined Goku might have mulled over the thought of reviving him. But even then…nothing.

The man may be angry, but he was far more hurt than he let on.

"Well…" Bra trailed, taking a seat on the corner of the cot, "I know I wouldn't want you that way."

His eyes widened just a tad, his arms slacking against his chest, "…Why?"

"Because I think you're an okay guy," Bra affirmed, squeezing the mattress underneath her fingertips, "And even though we got off on the wrong foot, I still want to be your friend. You could have a good life here, you know. You can have friends and family."

"I already had those in hell," Raditz said, trying to remain defiant as long as possible.

Bra almost grinned, but decided that might send out the wrong message, "But you were dead. Here…you can actually have a life. Free of psycho overlords or petty first in-commands and – "

"And your father?"

Bra cleared her throat before replying to that, "Um…hopefully it wouldn't be, you know, like it was before….what was he really like before anyway?"

"I'm not sure you'd like the answer," Raditz replied.

"Probably," Bra agreed, "And I won't try to make up any excuses for him, but he really has changed from what my mother and brother tell me. I know it would be really hard to do, but could you give him a chance, maybe? If you're up for it in a day or two?"

Raditz sighed, his body starting to brim with a liveliness that it had lacked minutes before, "Only if I get more of that fish."

"Alright then!" Bra suppressed a giggle and opted to clap her hands instead, a surge of joy shooting across her shoulders. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all, "I'll go check up on Marron and see what she's up to."

She bounced off the bed and waved as she departed, rounding out the doorway until she heard his voice again.

"I still don't see you as my princess, by the way,"

"And I don't think of you as my subject," Bra replied, not bothering to turn back, "Glad to know we're on the same page."

But he _was_ her responsibility, and Bra would try her hardest to set things right. It may not have been the wish she wanted, but perhaps…

It was the wish she needed.

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This chapter was a bit of a buffer to what's coming ahead. I hope you guys enjoyed it.

Also, on another note, I watched the first five episodes of DBZ again to see if the way I'm portraying Raditz here is reasonable. I was sort of surprised as to how mild-mannered Raditz was in the beginning with Goku – he was kind of REALLY upset that Goku wasn't the brother he had hoped for. He just seemed so disappointed at the fact that he couldn't go exploding planets with his baby bro all because he hit his head as a child. And he even explained to him who their people were and why they did what they did…of course, Raditz was still a jerk with the whole kidnapping Gohan and expecting Goku to just kill 100 people in one day. He just seemed so genuinely confused at his brother's nature that it made me realize how much Saiyans want to be around other Saiyans. How loyal they want to be towards one another (though, as I said before, Vegeta seems to be the rare megalomaniac exception).

So, I believe I'm doing a decent job at characterizing both Raditz and Bra *gives self a gold star*

Oh, and as for some replies –

Alistar: since this you are a guest review, I have no means to contact you other than directly here (and personally, I don't know how you're following this story without an account), but in response to your question: as I said in the notes, Raditz is not a direct adaption from the manga and/or anime. He's been tweaked to leave room for what development he could have had in the last thirty-five years in Hell. But, as I showed, he is not happy with the situation at all. I even specifically implied throughout the chapter that Bra's title is meaningless to Raditz; he isn't loyal to her whatsoever. However, if you didn't notice, he is physically unable to leave his bed. There's no other option than to listen to Bra at this moment. He expelled all his energy in his rash decision to try and walk out of the room, and now he is both too hungry and weak to leave that bed for the next day or so. If that wasn't the case, he really would have punched that wall and left Bra and Marron to their own affairs.

ascella star: Personally, I have no problem with age gaps if both parties are over the age of consent. Bra is 19 going on 20, which makes her legally responsible for herself and her actions around the world. Raditz is supposed to be a few years older than Goku and seems to have memories of their father. That inclines that he was old enough, like the Prince, to understand what was happening around him. Raditz's death was in 761 canonically, whereas the Planet Vegeta was destroyed in 737. Therefore, I made his year of birth 731, six years before the explosion. His age of thirty just made the most sense to me.

And, if I am being completely honest, I find it funny my first review about age gaps happens to be in DBZ, where Pan/Trunks is a common coupling with a twelve to thirteen years age difference.

Argent: Did no one read the notes? I gave my reasons as to WHY Raditz is in that state. It has been thirty-five years since he's been alive. He doesn't know how to achieve SS with a body attached to his soul. This is a realistic approach to a very unrealistic predicament and if you don't like, you don't have to read. Also, like I told Alistar, Raditz is physically unable to help himself for the next day or so, so he has no choice but to listen to Bra. He is not acting submissive – he implied what he thought of her title and his thoughts indicate he sees Vegeta as very little more than a traitor. If he ever uses their titles, it's going to be rather sarcastically, as he did so here.

Oh, and I guess I should state what year this takes place: In April, 796 (Bra is/was on a three-week spring break). So, it takes place thirty-five years after the death of Raditz. However, since he's been down in Hell so long, he's kind of lost track of time, so he thinks it's a little over forty (unreliable narrator ahh yeah). Also, since Bra and Pan both have quite a few "official" years of birth, I simply decided to have Bra be born in 776 and for Pan to be born in 778. Everyone else is their canon age/birth year, I believe.

Lastly, two more important ages for your convenience: Vegeta is 64 and Bulma is 62 (shortly to be 63).


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